


Revenge

by Geminia (Geminia905)



Series: Revenge [1]
Category: Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
Genre: Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 1999-05-24
Updated: 1999-05-24
Packaged: 2018-01-09 12:30:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1146009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geminia905/pseuds/Geminia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A fifth season tale. Ares tries to get revenge on Hercules for ruining his plans. His target: IolausToo.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Revenge

**Author's Note:**

> Some parts may make more sense if you've read 'The Hardest Choice'.

Hercules picked up the two fish he'd caught.

' _These will taste delicious. . .of course anything Iolaus cooks is wonderful_.'

The demigod chuckled at the thought. His new friend was so different from the Iolaus he grew up with. He would always miss his lifelong friend, but his cooking was another story.

As he headed back to the cave where they had made camp he couldn't help thinking of the similarities and differences between his two friends. His new friend had the same loyal, loving heart that always made him proud to have Iolaus for his best friend. Both men displayed a childlike innocent wonder that never ceased to amaze him.

His Iolaus had always been a sensitive man with an underlying vulnerability, but there was a haplessness about this new Iolaus that made the demigod feel a protectiveness that was never really necessary when his old friend was alive.

He was almost to the cave when he heard a sinister, and all to familiar, chuckle. He looked to his right and sure enough there stood his evil half-brother.

"Ares. What are you doing here? I thought the other gods would've given you your own room in Tartarus by now."

"Oh, you'd enjoy that, wouldn't you? It's because of you that my plan failed. I could've had the world for myself if you hadn't interfered!"

"If you're waiting for an apology, you're going to be very disappointed."

"No, actually I'm feeling very good at the moment. You took away my victory, so. . ." A feral smile curved his lips and he held a bloody dagger for the demigod to see. "I took something from you."

Realization dawned on Hercules' face and, throwing the fish aside, he charged at the God of War. All he caught hold of, however, was empty air. The dark god's mocking laughter hung in the air.

"ARES!!!" the demigod roared. "If you hurt him Tartarus will look like Elysium when I've finished with you!"

He ran to the cave, but stopped at the entrance. Bracing himself, he entered hesitantly. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness a gasp escaped his lips and he staggered to the side, leaning heavily against the cave wall.

* * *

Hercules shut his eyes tightly, silently begging his father that when he opened them he would be greeted with a different sight. He took a deep, shaking breath and slowly opened them once more.

Blood. So much blood.

He fought the rising nausea as he made his way to where his friend lay face-down in the dirt. Kneeling down beside the inert form, he gently turned Iolaus over and had to shut his eyes once more upon seeing the ragged wound marring the once perfect throat. He blindly pulled the smaller man's body into his arms, buried his face in the golden curls and wept bitterly.

Images flashed through his mind. The other Iolaus dying in his arms, his new friend smiling happily when he said they'd come back to this world together, this Iolaus at the memorial he'd erected to his first friend.

He'd barely knew this Iolaus, but the former jester was so gentle and had a world of love yet to give, but now he was lying cold and dead in the arms of the man who'd sworn to protect him.

The demigod's sobs became more violent and he held the limp body tighter, swearing that Ares would pay. He would have revenge if it was the last thing he ever did.

In the shadows of the cave a figure watched silently for more than an hour, as the Son of Zeus wept and mourned, before disappearing in a soft flash of light.

* * *

"This cannot go unpunished!"

The King of the Gods looked at his eldest daughter and sighed.

"Athena--"

"Father! It was the cold blooded murder of a mortal. The attack was entirely unprovoked."

"She's right, Father. He had no quarrel with this Iolaus other than the fact that Hercules had taken him under his wing," Artemis declared heatedly.

Suddenly his youngest daughter appeared on his lap.

"Big Bro really saved our bacon, Daddy. We owe him." Aphrodite batted her eyes at him and gave one of her finest pouts.

"Girls. . ." Zeus disengaged himself from the Goddess of Love and rose to face them. "I agree that Ares has gone too far. And he will be punished. As for Iolaus. . .it's complicated. The Iolaus that Ares killed is not of this world. By rights he should have died when the Iolaus of this world died. There's only one way to bring him back." He looked Athena directly in the eye. "Are you prepared to make that sacrifice?"

The Goddess of Wisdom looked stricken.

"There has to be another way!"

"There is no other way. If you want Iolaus to go back to Hercules, you have to let your son go."

"He just got here! I won't let him go yet!" Her grey eyes flashed defiantly.

"Then this Iolaus is lost forever. Hades has no domain over his soul and he has been cut off from his underworld." Zeus turned away as if admitting defeat.

"All right! Do it," Athena said resignedly. "But Father--"

"Yes?"

"If you're going to bluff. . .next time do a better job."

She disappeared in a soft flash of light.

* * *

"Hercules? I can't breathe."

The demigod was so absorbed in his grieving that it took a moment for the softly spoken complaint to register. He pulled Iolaus away from his chest and was astonished to find him smiling back at him. No evidence of the gaping wound in his throat remained. Hercules drew him back against him in a fierce hug.

The Son of Zeus finally released the smaller man. He saw the confusion in his friend's eyes. The confusion slowly turned to horrified realization and Iolaus reached up quickly to his throat.

"Ares. . .I thought. . .Hercules, what happened?" There was a note of terror in his voice.

"I'm not entirely sure, My Friend. But I promise you," Hercules reached out and brushed a golden curl from his friend's forehead in a very paternal manner. "He is _never_ going to hurt you again."

A movement on the other side of the cave caught the demigod's eye and he immediately put himself in front of Iolaus as a shield.

"It's me, Hercules."

"Athena? What are– did you do this?" He gestured toward Iolaus.

"Father arranged it, but there's more. . ." She looked toward the cave entrance, then back at her brother. "Go down by the lake. The place where you were fishing yesterday."

"Why?"

"My son is waiting for you there."

"Your son–?" Realization dawned on Hercules' face. "Iolaus? He's–?"

"Alive. He's been with me on Olympus for the last few weeks. . .weeks. A fair amount of time for a mortal, but only a blink of an eye for a god." She looked sadly at Hercules. She almost laughed at the confusion evident on his face. "He doesn't remember his time on Olympus. He doesn't remember the fact that he was suckled by a goddess as an infant. He doesn't know that when he died he became immortal. Take care of him, Hercules, until the time comes again when he will come to live with me."

She flashed him and Iolaus a smile and disappeared.

Hercules stood frozen in shock. He couldn't believe what he'd heard. Iolaus was alive and waiting by the lake. He had his friend back. He had _both_ his friends back. He felt like shouting out his glee. . .until he saw the desolate look on his new friend's face and realized how he was feeling. He walked up to Iolaus and put an arm around the surprised man's shoulders.

"How bout we go find the other Iolaus and the three of us decide where we're going next?" He gave the shoulders a reassuring squeeze and smiled down at him.

"Really? All three of us?" There was still a glimmer of fear behind the cerulean eyes.

"Of course. I can't think of anything better than traveling with my two best friends."

They headed out to the lake together. Thoughts of revenge were present in the demigod's mind, but he decided for the moment that Ares could wait.

He had much more important people to think about.

THE END


End file.
